病入膏肓 bìng rù gāo huāng

the situation is hopeless

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency 21162nd word

Definitions

  1. 1. the situation is hopeless
  2. 2. lit. the disease has attacked the vitals (idiom); fig. beyond cure

Characters

Character Meaning
病 bìng HSK 2
to fall ill; illness; disease
入 rù HSK 4
to enter; to go into; to join
膏 gāo HSK 4
ointment; paste; to apply (cream, ointment)
肓 huāng
region between heart and diaphragm